Holiday Heat by Starla Hartless

I just finished this book, and I honestly just want to read it again. This has all the elements I love in a Romance novel. It has comical moments, heartwarming moments and sexy moments. If you don’t like hot sexy stories, then Starla’s books are not for you but I just had such a good time with this one.

The second book in the Cougar Love series, Holiday Heat reminds me of the screwball comedies of the fifties but definitely updated and much hotter.

Roxanne finds herself at the office Christmas party, suddenly indulging in a sexual encounter with a co-worker who happens to be a younger man. After the heat of the moment passes, Roxanne is left confused, guilty and embarrassed by her lack of control. What follows is a series of misadventures as Roxanne attempts to convince herself that she doesn’t want to be involved with Adam.

Adam may be younger than Roxanne but its obvious that he is the more mature partner in this relationship as he tries to find a way into Roxanne’s heart.

Along the way, Roxanne has to deal with a bratty sister and her out of control children who suddenly appear on her doorstep.

All of this happens during the holiday season in New York. A very amusing very steamy book by Starla Hartless who always leaves me wanting more.

A fun, funny book that I totally enjoyed one rainy afternoon. Yes, I couldn’t put it down!

Five stars!

THE RAILROAD

By Neil Douglas Newton

I read this book several years ago when it was first published and in spite of poor editing, including typos, I enjoyed the read. I recently read the newly released version and I am very impressed. The new cover is brilliant and the story was even better the second time around.

Beginning shortly before 9/11 Mike Dobbs is not a guy you like immediately. He is a career minded, self centered man with a plan. After being stuck in the subway while the towers were falling, the experience sent him on a journey from which he never returns.

The Mike Dobbs before 9/11 slowly devolves while his friends watch helplessly, until he simply cannot exist in the job or the life he had before the tragedy. Without a word, he leaves his life in NYC and moves to a run down second home in the countryside of upstate New York. All he wants is to be left alone, to drink himself into oblivion and never be reminded of those events.

Then a woman and child in desperate need of help enter his life and again Mike Dobbs is on a journey to change and again his life will never be the same.

By the end of the book, I rather liked Mike Dobbs, something I would have thought impossible at the beginning of the story.

I highly recommend this book. Be prepared for an unexpected twist at the end.

Carved Wooden Heart by Elizabeth Horton-Newton and Starla Hartless

Available at Amazon.com and Dragonfly Books

Carved Wooden Heart has become another of my favorite books and yes I’ve read it multiple times. I can’t get enough of this story and hope that the authors will consider writing a sequel although I doubt they could top this one!

Dani meets Jesse, a native artist with issues and romance quickly follows. Of course love isn’t easy and Dani’s heart is broken. Dani is a very strong woman and faces all the complications of life head on.

I am totally drawn into Dani’s story right from the start. I find Jesse very attractive and I can understand how things could get out of control so fast, even though it was obviously not the way Dani usually behaved. Love can make us do things we would normally consider crazy and there is no doubt that Dani was in love.

Dani’s choices were never easy but always seemed right. Her journey was full of highs and lows. We follow her through what feels like a lifetime but is really only a few years. So much happens and though she falls in love again her time with Jesse always haunts her.

This book is a romance story but its also a story of life, choices, heartache and joy.

A book you’ll have a hard time putting down.

DEAR LIBBY by Starla Harless

Dear Libby to be released on Amazon July 4, 2019 Available for pre-order now

I read Carved Wooden Heart by Starla Hartless and Elizabeth Horton-Newton (twice) and when I heard that Starla was working on a new series I was so excited that I asked for an ARC copy. I wasn’t disappointed! This is the first in a series she calls The Cougar Love Series and it is off to a great start!

The Libby in Dear Libby is an advice columnist in Sweetwater, TN whose real name is Sadie and unbeknownst to her, her editor arranged for her to be considered for a national position at Stark Publications. Jake Stark comes to town to interview her and while she thinks he is good looking she also thinks he’s a snob. He invites her to dinner and she blows him off but they end up at the same restaurant where he requests the table next to hers. When her best friend cancels at the last minute he invites himself to join her and well I’m not going to tell you the whole story, you need to get the book.

It is a very enjoyable read, and I will say there are a few complications. The setting is wonderful from the little town of Sweetwater to the penthouse suite in NYC to the mansion in Southampton Long Island, the descriptions are so vivid you’ll feel like you are really there.

I give it 5 stars and I am certainly looking forward to the second book of this series.